How do I clean the tongue cleaner? | Tongue cleaner

How do I clean the tongue cleaner?

The tongue cleaner should be rinsed with clear water after each lane that is pulled on the tongue. In this way, the coatings of the tongue removed with each pull are rinsed off the tongue cleaner. Additionally, the tongue cleaner can also be cleaned in special cleaning solutions.

In general, however, a thorough rinsing with water is sufficient. After about six to eight weeks of regular use, the tongue cleaner should be replaced. However, you should never try to clean the tongue cleaner with soap or detergent or similar. This would result in a very unpleasant taste the next time you use it. Some models can be put in the dishwasher for cleaning.

Do I use the tongue cleaner before or after brushing my teeth?

It is best used at the end of daily oral hygiene, i.e. after brushing teeth and using interdental brushes and/or dental floss. Bacteria and plaque are stirred up by the teeth during daily oral hygiene and are deposited on the tongue to a large extent. The back third of the tongue is particularly susceptible to bacteria, as cleaning is more difficult here. After brushing the teeth, the tongue can be cleaned with the tongue cleaner to remove the bacteria that have been whirled up by brushing the teeth.

How can I clean my tongue without tongue cleaner?

Without a tongue cleaner, the tongue can alternatively be cleaned with a manual toothbrush. In this case, however, only a toothbrush with soft to medium hard bristles is suitable in order not to damage the tongue surface. Furthermore, a separate toothbrush that is not used for brushing should be used to clean the tongue.

Otherwise, the plaque on the tongue removed by the toothbrush would be spread back on the teeth the next time you brush your teeth. The head of the toothbrush is higher than a normal tongue cleaner, so you must be careful not to hurt yourself.As an alternative to a toothbrush, you can use an inverted teaspoon as a scraper for the tongue. This, like the toothbrush, is also pulled from behind the tongue in paths to the front.

A well-known household remedy for cleaning the tongue consists of a salt-water mixture. Dissolve a teaspoon of table salt in a glass of lukewarm water and rinse the mouth with it. It is very important not to swallow the salt water.

Alternatively, the so-called oil extraction can also clean the tongue. Here, one rinses the mouth in the morning on an empty stomach with a tablespoon of oil. This application should also prevent inflammation in the mouth and is often recommended as an accompanying therapy for periodontitis. In general, however, mechanical cleaning of the tongue with tongue cleaner is the most effective.